Tag: babies

I had an awkward conversation this morning, which I admit is not an altogether unusual event for me, but this was more so than even I am accustomed to.

I was at Mass with my wife’s grandmother, aunt, and the aunt’s son and his two young children. In conversation before Mass I was trying to figure out who I was to each of these people, suggesting things like brother-in-law or son-in-law once removed or second cousin in law and the like, but the aunt settled it by saying, “The truth is you are no one to us.”

Early in Mass the son (My wife’s first cousin), had to leave the Liturgy with his toddler, who I think is about two years old and is fond of Elsa and Doritos.

This left my wife’s aunt with a young baby, the kind who has no teeth and cannot yet hold his head up .

The baby started acting up and I could tell the aunt was tired so I offered to take the baby. He eventually settled down and was easy to hold for the remainder of the liturgy.

Shortly after Mass, a matronly woman approached me making all of the noises that such women make when they see a cute baby and asked me how old the baby was. I told her I had no idea and then, after a moment of looking at the baby I said, “Maybe two or three months? What do you think?”

Most people think I’m crazy for having 12 kids. There are lots of reasons for it, but one I rarely mention; every day I come home to little people who yell and scream my name and run to hug me. Like this guy, #12, who follows me around calling my name and trying to tell me things.… Read the rest